Jack Russell, Destiny Knight
by Wings of Reparation
Summary: A determined kid who wishes to become a knight will soon discover what it means to be one.
1. Chapter 1

"Well, Mom and Dad...It's almost time."

Adele Russell stared fondly at the picture of her mother and father. Today was the day that her little brother, Jack, would set out to pursue his dream of becoming a famous knight just like their father. For years, she trained and taught Jack everything she knew about combat. She only hoped that it would be enough.

From a child to a young adult, Jack had always been driven. When she suggested they take a break during their training sessions, he always pleaded with her to keep going, pushing himself constantly to the point of collapsing out of exhaustion. Jack only grew more and more stronger as time went on. His death-defying will was his strength. It was a mystery who he inherited that from...

"I've been waiting a long time for this day..."

Turning around, she saw Jack standing at his doorway, dressed up in the handmade tunic she made for him.

"We've all been waiting for this day, Jack..." She said, giving him a hug which he returned. "Everyone in the village can't wait to see you off."

"They must really want me out of here, don't they?" He joked, earning a small laugh from her.

"Of course not, Jack. You know what I meant."

Letting go of each other, Adele motioned for him to follow her. Jack complied without a word. He knew that breakfast would not start until after they've done their daily morning spar.

Stepping outside of the house, Jack kept walking past Adele even after she stopped moving, going towards the center of their small little village.

"Catch!"

Immediately, Jack turned around, catching the wooden sword that had been tossed at him...

_**CLANG!**_

Which also protected him from the power strike of his sister. The two were stuck in a power clash between each other, with Adele smirking in satisfaction.

"Very good, Jack." She complimented him.

"What did you expect? I learned from the best." He replied, grinning as his eyes seemed to spark with fires of passion.

Jack broke the clash, pushing away Adele a few inches away from him. The other villagers watched from a safe distance.

"If I'm going to become an even greater knight than my father, I have to overcome every obstacle in my way!" He shouted and then pointed the tip of his wooden sword at Adele. "And sis? You're the first!"

"Very well! This will be your final test, Jack! Do you have what it takes to beat me, the one who taught you everything you knew!"

Jack dropped into his battle stance.

"Let's find out then!" He answered her.

The two charged at each other, swinging and striking their weapons as if they meant to kill the other. Jack dodged and blocked, returning with counter attacks that Adele barely had time to defend herself from. He moved with incredible speed, something he earned from his hard work. For years, every day he trained, he would strap specially made weight cloths that made it difficult to move around than a normal person could. Now that he was off it, the benefits were paying off for him.

"Come on, Jack!" Sunset cheered his best friend on. "You can do it!"

"Yeah, you go, Jack!" Sora, Sunset's little sister, clapped energetically.

"Give it all you got!" Mint shouted as loud as she could.

Jack spun to the right to avoid Adele's downward strike and then ducked down low to avoid a swing from across. She tried kicking him, but he used one hand to stop it while avoiding another attack from above. He pulled on her leg, causing her to lose her balance as she hit the floor hard, but recovered by doing a spin attack while on the ground, her famous 'Windmill' attack, which Jack could never dodge. Not even now.

"Oof!"

Falling on his own back, Jack instinctively rolled away as Adele struck the floor where he once was a second ago. Then he copied her technique, forcing her to jump back as he stood back up.

"You executed my windmill perfectly! I never taught you that move!" She exclaimed, remaining in a defensive position.

"I know." He smirked. "I picked it up myself."

Jack sprinted at her, swinging his blade only for it to be blocked. Then he did something unexpected. Pushing both their blades downward, he raised his foot up and stomped down on Adele's blade, breaking it in half. Obviously caught off guard, Jack tackled her right into the ground and had his wooden sword against her throat. Not pressed too hard to suffocate her, but enough to make a point clear.

Minutes passed as the two panted breathlessly, exhausted from their battle. Once they calmed down, Jack stared at her while staying mounted on top of her with his weapon still against her neck. She closed her eyes, resting for a moment before she sighed.

"You did it." She stated proudly. "The student finally surpasses the master...Like they all should."

"But they couldn't have done it in the first place...without the help of the master." Jack said, smiling at his sister. "Thank you, sis...for everything."

"Come on now, don't say it like that. You make it sound like we'll never see each other again. If you don't come visit every once in a while, I'll drag your sorry butt back here myself!"

Silence loomed over for the first few seconds before the two bellowed out in laughter and the rest of the villagers who had been watching followed soon after, shaking their heads at the Russell's.

"Those two..."

An elderly lady smiled in amusement as the Russell kins got back up on their feet and were surrounded by Sunset, Sora, and Mint, who all crowded Jack.

"They really are like their parents..."

* * *

><p>After morning breakfast, Jack was free to do whatever he wanted for the next hour before he would leave for the kingdom of Radiata. He spent most of his time hanging out with his childhood friends Sunset, Mint, and the new addition of their group, Sora, Sunset's little sister. When it was getting close to leave, the residents of Solieu and Tria village stood at the entrance, wishing Jack the best of luck in the city and occasionally getting a hug or two. Adele was the last one to to speak to him and give him something really special.<p>

"Dad's sword!" He was slightly shocked to see it as was everyone else.

"Yes, Jack, this is your father's legendary sword, the Arbitrator." She said. "Of course, you aren't ready to use it yet. But someday, Jack, you will...You'll be a leader of men with this sword at your side. I know you will."

"Wow..." Jack was pretty much speechless as he was handed the sword into his own hands.

"You've trained all your life for this moment, Jack. I have absolute faith in you." Adele smiled at her brother.

"I won't let you down." Jack nodded his head, strapping the Arbitrator behind his back.

"I know you won't. Now go! You don't want to be late!"

Jack nodded his head, glancing around at everybody who just had that look on their faces that said they would be supporting him even when he wasn't here. Being here was nice and all, but now it was his time to become a man.

"Well...Be seein' ya! Next time you guys see me..."

He gave a big grin and a thumbs up before turning around and running off, but not without screaming out one last thing...

"I'll be a knight!"

* * *

><p>Hello everyone, the name is Wings of Reparation and I like Radiata Stories. So here's my story. Enjoy. Review it, hate it, love it, whatever you want to say. I'll see you next time.<p> 


	2. Chapter 2

It was packed in the waiting room of the knight selection trial. Jack was one of the many who wished to become an elite fighter of the Radiata Knights. True, he may have just been another hopeful in the eyes of others, but he had something nobody else could ever have: A heritage. Not that it mean he wanted to be accepted just because his father had been a famous knight. No, he wanted to be accepted in because of his skill and ability.

_Let's see who I'm going up against..._

Looking at the board where contestants were set up against another to prove their worth, Jack found his name and his opponent.

_Ridley Silverlake, huh? Sounds like a girl._

Turning around, he scanned the area and found that the only girl here was the blond with pigtails and green eyes sitting by herself.

_I guess that must be her..._

A door flung open as everyone, including Jack, saw a guard in heavy armor walk in.

"Attention! The Royal Radiata Knights selection trials will now begin." He announced loudly for all to hear. It was pretty hard to hear him with that helmet over his head. "Candidates Star and Paul! You're first. Proceed to the coliseum immediately."

Two men stood up from their seats. One was fairly normal while the other not so much and carried himself in a way that was arrogant and obnoxious. He even rudely shoved past the other man to walk through the doorway first.

_My money's on the guy that isn't in ridiculous armor._

Not even a minute passed and the sound of one single punch was heard before a thud followed after and the normal looking man walked back in unscathed. A short man wearing armor and a green bag on his back ran through the doorway, returning with his knocked out friend. Jack chuckled a little: The outcome had never really been in doubt. A few seconds later, the same guard from before returned.

"Calling the next candidates, Ridley and Jack. Proceed to the coliseum immediately."

The blond girl stood up and followed after the guard. That proved his assumption correct. Jack took a deep breath, adrenaline rushing through his body.

_This is it. I've only got one shot...Now or never._

Going through the open doorway, he followed the corridor until it led him out into a giant area. A few nobles were sitting above, watching them. They must really have nothing better to do than watching people fight for their own amusement. Standing across from Ridley a few feet away, he turned towards the man in white clothes as she did.

"Welcome to the official Royal Radiata Knights selection trials." The man spoke aloud for the audience to hear. "I will be your referee for this contest. My name is Junzaburo. The test you are about to face is a traditional Radiata Knights elimination tournament. In other words, it is a completely unbiased assessment of your abilities."

_So you say..._Jack grunted in agitation. _If a noble wanted to become a knight and they lost, they would still be accepted. Sounds pretty biased to me._

"You will earn points for every hit, but should a knockout occur, the winner will be declared immediately." He brung his hand down and looked at Jack and Ridley. "Understood? Let's begin. Combatants, take your positions."

Jack and Ridley stepped farther away from each other as they pulled out their weapons. Ridley wielded an axe while Jack held a sword in his hand.

"Selection trials, round two! Ridley Silverlake vs Jack Russell!"

Junzaburo shot his hand up towards the sky.

"Begin!"

Jack's speed was so swift that it looked like he was soaring off the ground. Ridley barely had enough time to defend herself as she raised her axe up to block his attack. The strike had been so strong that it sent her flying back along the ground, earning many gasps from the audience.

"Only one of us is coming out of this a winner, Silverlake!" Jack shouted, switching to defensive position. "And it's going to be me!"

Ridley coughed as she got back up on her feet, legs wobbly, but she glared daggers at Jack with a scowl on her face. Getting back into her battle position, she charged at Jack, screaming at the top of her lungs.

"Don't let the door hit you on the way out when you lose to me, farm boy!"

Jack jumped up as she slid along the ground under him, but then he felt her grab his leg, falling face first into the hard concrete. That had been exactly what he pulled on Adele just this morning! Did fate decide to fuck with him by having his own move used against him! Rolling over, Jack blocked Ridley's next downward strike just in time.

"This **farm boy** is going to be the one to kick your ass!"

He launched his foot into her gut and tossed her over him as he jumped back up on his feet, turning around and readying himself as Ridley got back up soon after.

"This is it. I've been waiting to use this move on someone for a long time!" She exclaimed.

Ridley began to spin her axe and herself at an incredible speed. Jack took this time to slowly back away towards the other end of the room. Then, with one final shout, she released her weapon, sending it straight at him.

"Wild Pitch!"

Jack scoffed as he dropped his sword on the ground.

"I'm not losing here!" He screamed out in defiance.

Time seemed to slow down the moment the axe was inches in front of him. He spun to the left to avoid it entirely, but not without miraculously grabbing the handle of the heavy weapon while it had been spinning at a high velocity.

"RETURN TO SENDER!"

Jack redirected Ridley's attack right back at her, who only had a look of pure shock on her face. This country boy had taken her most powerful attack and not only avoided it, but used it against her.

_W-who is this guy?..._ She thought as she took the blow, crying out in pain.

Luckily the weapon was not the most deadliest of its kind. Otherwise, the axe would have completely pierced through Ridley's leather resistant clothing and killed her. Nevertheless, the impact from the attack knocked her out.

"Winner!" Junzaburo cried out as he entered the arena again. "The winner of the round two selection trials is Jack Russell!"

The audience cheered and clapped for Jack, who looked on as Ridley was carried away by knights who were probably going to take her to the infirmary to check for wounds, just to be on the safe side. Though he felt a little sorry for her, he made no apologies for the way he acted in battle. That was just who he was; giving it all he had. Returning back to the waiting room with his sword, he sat down back in his seat.

Hours passed and eventually, the trials finally finished. Jack had to give Ridley respect for putting up a great fight because all the other opponents he faced afterward were weak compared to her. One even willingly surrendered before the match could even begin. He honestly expected more out of these city folks. At the end of the day, he was the champion above all the other candidates. There was no doubt in his mind that he was going to be accepted. When the time came for the contestants to be selected, Jack was lined up with all the other competitors in the arena who either had injures on them or a defeated look on their face.

"Introducing Lord Larks, Prime Minister and Commander-in-Chief of the Radiata Knights." Junzaburo motioned to the man wearing glasses. "And Captain Ganz Rothschild of the Rose Cochon brigade."

There was something about the chubby man that made Jack felt like he would get along with him just fine...

"New recruits will be placed under his command. And now for the tournament results! Both Jack Russell and Ridley Silverlake have shown the necessary skills to be entered into the knights."

Jack was confused. Didn't Ridley lose in the first round against him?

_I had a feeling she was of noble blood...Unbiased, my ass._ Jack had to roll his eyes.

Everyone but Jack and Ganz left. The short man approached him with a smile on his face.

"Master Jack Russell, I am sure you know who I am already. From this point on, I will be your commanding officer. It will be my most greatest pleasure having you and Lady Ridley under my brigade." He spoke.

"Same here, boss." Jack saluted his superior officer.

"We will hold the inauguration ceremony immediately at meeting room on the third floor. But first, please head to the waiting room. Al, the castle steward, will be waiting for you to guide you to your assigned room where you will put on your official knight's attire."

"You got it, sir." Jack nodded his head. "I'll be there ASAP!"

* * *

><p>Al, the castle servant, lead him down into the basement floor halls where everything was the exact opposite of what was upstairs. Not that he didn't mind. He wasn't going to whine like a child. This was what he expected. He had to work his way up and earn his benefits like any professional job should.<p>

"This will be Master Jack's room." The steward said, turning around to face Jack. "Your room leader will be Master Leonard and your attire will be on your bunk. I trust you know how to get to the third floor meeting room on your own?"

"I sure can." Jack answered. "Don't worry about me. I can handle myself on my own now. Thanks, Al."

"Well, if you will excuse me..."

The man sped off in a hurry, probably attending to other matters in the castle. Either way, that wasn't Jack's concern anymore. Looking at his room door, he opened the door and walked inside, spotting a muscular man sitting at the desk, looking a piece of paper over. When Jack shut the door behind him, the man glanced his way and noticed him.

"Hi there. You're Leonard, right?" Jack asked.

"That's me." He answered, standing up as he walked over to Jack to give him a handshake which he shook. "So you're the new guy, huh? What's your name?"

"Jack Russell."

"Nice to meet you, Jack. Just set your things down for now and get changed. You don't want to keep your leader waiting."

Jack stared at the folded clothing on the bottom bunk bed, which he assumed was his clothing. He was not impressed at all by the design. It didn't even look that resistant to attacks.

"Geez, do the royal knights really fight in this getup?" He asked as he picked up the clothing in his hands.

Leonard just laughed. "When you make captain, you can wear what you like. Until then, you stick with regulation."

"I can understand that, but it doesn't make me feel any better." Jack sighed, frowning before putting on his new clothing. "Though I gotta say...I feel like a little lord wearing this."

"That's exactly what I wanted to say!" Leonard exclaimed, slightly upset. "Oh well...You better get a move on, Jack. Tardiness is not something the Radiata Knights tolerate."

"Yeah, yeah, I'm going. See ya, pops!" Jack laughed as he ran out the door, leaving an angry Leonard behind.

"I'm only twenty-one, kid!"

His fury only lasted a few seconds before he started chuckling.

_It's been awhile since we've had someone as energetic as him in the knights. Things might start to get a little interesting around here..._

* * *

><p>Tossing in another chapter. If you see a mistake, don't call me out on it. Chances are, I saw it too. I'm just too lazy to go back and edit it. Anyways, moving on to the next chapter. Later.<p> 


	3. Chapter 3

Jack reached the meeting room without any difficulties, but it was empty inside. He had asked the guard outside the door if Captain Ganz passed by and the knight informed him that he had left to check Ridley in the infirmary. Now he was sitting alone in the meeting room, waiting for Ganz to show up. There was no way Ridley would recover quickly from her injuries, especially since it was her own special attack thrown back at her.

_What did she call it again? 'Wild Pitch', was it? That was a pretty daring move, though, just tossing away your weapon like that. _He thought, recalling his battle with Ridley. _It's a great finishing move, but I was far from done._ _She also said that she's been waiting to use that move on someone…which means it was her first time using that technique in a real battle. Royal blood or not, she's still a rookie just like me._

Several knocks on the door broke Jack out of his thoughts. He looked at the door and raised an eyebrow. That couldn't be the captain because he wouldn't need to knock. It had to be someone else, but who?

"Come in." He shouted loud enough for the person to hear.

The door opened and a girl stepped in. She wore the standard Radiata Knight armor and had blue hair and green eyes. She had pigtail, but they were small and short in comparison to Ridley's hair. The girl glanced around the room briefly before setting her eyes on Jack.

"Is this the meeting room for the Rose Cochon brigade?" She asked him.

"Yes." Jack nodded his head.

"Where is Captain Ganz?"

"He's at the infirmary checking on Ridley. He'll be back soon, though."

"Oh...Okay."

The conversation suddenly grinded to a halt and silence loomed over them. Jack didn't know why she was still standing there. Whatever she wanted to tell Captain Ganz seemed like it was urgent, so he expected her to walk out and head to the infirmary. But if she was going to just wait here…

"You can take a seat, you know…" Jack spoke up. "You don't have to wait here standing up."

"Oh, um, yes, you're right." She sputtered out, quickly taking a seat across from him at the table.

It became quiet again, but slightly less awkward than it had been a few seconds ago. Jack decided to take the initiative and be the first to talk this time around; only on a more casual note.

"I'm Jack, what's your name?" He introduced himself.

"Nina." She told him.

"Nice to meet you, Nina." Jack gave her a friendly smile. "If you don't mind me asking, why do you need to see Captain Ganz?"

"I'm being assigned to the Rose Cochon brigade, so I have to hand him my paperwork of transfer." Nina answered, pulling out a thick envelope from her side-pouch.

"Oh?"

Now this was news to him. The Rose Cochon brigade had only just been formed today, but now they're already getting a new addition to the team? The trio just became a quartet.

"Then I look forward to working with you, Nina. I'll be counting on you from here on, okay?" He extended his hand across the table to his new teammate.

Nina stared at his hand momentarily before giving him a small smile. She nodded her head and shook his hand.

"The same to you, Jack…" She said.

They pulled back their hands just as the door opened. The pair looked to see it was Ganz, who smiled and waved at the two.

"Ah, Master Jack, you came faster than I expected. I was hoping to make it back before you arrived." He said before turning to Nina. "And who might you be, Miss…?"

"Nina, Sir." She stood up, saluting Ganz before approaching him with her letter in hand.

"Now what might this be?" Ganz said as he opened the envelope while making his way over to the seat in front of the chalkboard. Nina promptly sat back down in her seat. Ganz carefully read through the paper before turning his attention to Nina with a big smile. "It would be my pleasure to have you aboard the Rose Cochon brigade, Lady Nina."

"The honor is mine, Sir." She bowed her head.

Ganz neatly stacked the paper on the table before looking at both of them. He released a sigh that oozed disappointment.

"I had hoped that Lady Ridley would be here to attend the inauguration ceremony, but it seems she has not yet regained consciousness." He said, shaking his head. "That is unfortunate."

Jack knew this was his fault, but he wouldn't make any apologies for it. He remained silent and waited for Ganz to continue.

"I wish we could postpone this rite so that all of us are present, but we have a mission tomorrow, so I'll just have to write something for Lady Ridley when she comes to. Let's begin now, shall we?"

Ganz stood up and coughed in preparation for what Jack assumed was going to be a long speech, which would either be really inspiring or really boring.

"On this most auspicious of days, we are all thrilled to be here for the inauguration of the Rose Cochon brigade."

He turned to the board, grabbed a chalk and started writing on the board.

"From this day forward we are all comrades-in-arms in defense of our country against any that would harm us, our citizens, and allies. Master Jack, Lady Nina, I ask you this: What is the key to success in the Radiata Knights?"

As if in sync with each other's thoughts, they both cried out the same word.

"Teamwork!" They answered.

"Correct! I expect you to protect each other with your very lives. Knights of the same brigade are as family! If you know that already, then there is no need to continue any further: I hereby announce the inauguration of the Ganz Rothschild Rose Cochon Knight Brigade…complete!"

Ganz smiled proudly at the two. He put down the chalk after finishing what he wrote which turned out to be three words: _Skill, Honor, and Teamwork- Remember these well!_

"Truth be told, I had a speech all planned out for you all, but I had forgotten it in my room. So I had to improvise on the spot." He sat back down, chuckling nervously. "Heh Heh…How did I do?"

"I think that was all right, sir." Jack said. "Probably better than what you wrote down."

Nina nodded her head in agreement, which left Ganz scratching the back of his head, but the bashful smile on his face told them both he was happy on how well he did. Jack had to admit he was glad the ceremony was short; something told him this could have lasted longer.

"Now before I begin the briefing on our very first assignment, are there any questions you two have?" Ganz asked once composed himself.

"I have one." Jack raised his hand.

"What is it, Master Jack?"

"What does Rose Cochon mean?" Jack asked, resting his arms on the table. "I assume most Officers title their brigades to have some significant meaning to them…so what's ours?"

"Ah, that's a very good question! You see, Master Jack, 'rose' is a symbol of love and passion, meaning we are devoted to our kingdom. As for 'Cochon'…well…to be honest, it is from another language meaning 'pig'."

Silence cut the conversation short as Jack could only raise an eyebrow at his superior officer.

"So…we're the 'Passionate Pig Knights Brigade', huh?" He said, humiliated by their brigade's 'meaningful' name.

Nina slapped her hand over her mouth to muffle her laughter. Ganz suddenly found the wall interesting while Jack face-palmed, shaking his head.

"Well, whatever…" Jack said, sighing depressingly. "Let's just move on to the mission details, Captain?"

"Good idea." Ganz said; glad to be rid of the awkward topic. "Now, for our very first assignment, Lord Larks has given us the task of protecting a dwarf! As you must know, most of our weaponry are created by the dwarves because of their ability in forgery. Their skill with metal comes to them naturally. In short, we are trading partners, which is why they expect nothing but the best protection when it comes to their cargo delivery."

"So we're heading to Earth Valley, huh? I always wanted to visit that place." Nina spoke up.

"Please make sure you are both well-rested and ready for the journey. It will be a long one! Dismissed!"

The trio stood up and exited the room. Ganz parted with the two and Jack already began away too until a hand grabbed his shoulder. He looked behind him to see it was Nina.

"Something wrong, Nina?" He asked, raising his brow.

"I watched you fight in arena during the selection trials." She started, taking a deep breath before staring at him with a serious expression. "I saw how you handled yourself in battle…against Lady Ridley. You fought her without holding back and won even when she had proper knight training."

"I think I know where this is going…" Jack said, gently pulling her hand off his shoulder and turned around. "If you're about to ask what I think you're asking…I accept."

Nina smiled, but her eyes lit up with excitement. She held out her hand to him.

"Training Facility in the basement, one hour from now; I look forward to it."

Jack shook her hand, a grin stretching across his face.

"Right back at you…"

* * *

><p>Bet you thought I left this fic for dead, didn't I?<p>

…Well, I did, but I got bored one night and then this chapter came out. I know I probably could have done a bit more, but to be honest, I really just want to speed on if I'm really going through with reviving and completing this story.

So, for better or for worse; I'm back, baby! Look forward to the next installment!

…Whenever that comes out.


	4. Chapter 4

Jack woke up the next morning, still feeling sore from last night's sparring session with Nina. They fought with wooden swords, but Nina wanted him to go all out because she would do the same to him. So the two swung and bashed each other as if they were sworn enemies. The few trainees that were practicing on dummies watched their fight go on for two hours, where they actually collapsed on the ground once or twice from the exhaustion and beating. Despite their injuries, they were still capable enough to return back to their rooms. Nina thanked him for the fight, telling him that this was the first battle where she knew her opponent wasn't holding back on her. As far as he could tell, Jack assumed that meant Nina trusted him more than just being in the same brigade as him.

_I wonder if Ridley's awake by now. I guess I'll find out when we meet up._ He thought as he donned on his uniform. _Hope she's not too mad._

Oddly enough, Leonard was nowhere to be found. Then again, room leader or not, someone like him had to be in a brigade, which meant he had his own duties as well. After leaving his room, he headed upstairs to first floor. Along the way, he spotted Nina walking as well. Just as he suspected, she had a two-handed sword slung behind her. When they were fighting, Jack took notice of her stance and she held the blade as if it was heavy. That suggested she preferred heavy weaponry over light.

"Hey, Nina." He said, walking alongside her.

"Oh, hello, Jack." She smiled at him. "Excited for our first mission?"

"About as excited as I can get for an escort assignment…" Jack shrugged his arms. "It's our first mission, so they wouldn't give us something too dangerous."

"I don't know, Jack…" Nina shook her head. "The return journey might be dangerous. We could encounter goblins or bandits. They're becoming an increasing threat along the trade routes and with the lack of control out in the regions; bandits are getting more aggressive and daring with their attacks. They'll attack anyone if they got what they need."

"Well, if we run into them, we'll deal with it." Jack said, stuffing his hands into his pockets. "If you fight as hard as you hit, I'm sure you can take on ten bandits by yourself!"

"Flatterer…" Nina playfully punched him in the arm, the blush faint on her cheeks.

Jack just chuckled and they continued down the hall in silence. When they reached the large gate room, the two spotted Ganz and Ridley. The blond looked completely fine and face completely neutral. Jack noticed that Ganz wielded his own two-handed sword as well. It seemed he was the only one in his brigade to have a fast weapon over a slow one. Ganz greeted them both with a smile and a wave.

"Good morning, Jack, Nina. I heard you two got into a bit of a scuffle in the training facility last night. Are you okay to take on this mission?" Ganz asked, concerned about them.

"It will not hinder us, sir." Nina said, saluting him.

"I'm in agreement, Captain." Jack saluted too. "We'll be fine."

Ganz nodded his head before signaling them to follow him. Ridley had yet to speak a word to the two. Was she still mad that she lost? Jack would have to try talking to her on the road. He didn't want anything to get in the way of working together as a team now. They exited the castle and were met with the fattest man Jack had ever seen in his life. Even the pigs back at home couldn't compare to this guy!

"Lord Jasne! You are up very early, sir. Is everything all right?" Ganz asked.

When the man turned around, Jack fought hard to keep his face straight and calm as possible. This Jasne had a tomato for a nose. He looked at Ridley whose face contorted between a scowl and a raised eyebrow. There must be a story between those two, but that would be something to look up later at the castle archives. He definitely had to start reading about the important royals that roamed the castle. As much as he detested reading, he knew it was necessary if he wanted to survive in the Radiata Knights and climb higher in rank.

"Ah, here you are, finally…" That only further told Jack that Jasne had been waiting to see them off, or rather, more specifically, see Ridley off. "I mean…What a fine morning, don't you think?"

"Yes, yes it is. Lord Jasne; today is the first mission for the Rose Cochon brigade." Ganz said, either oblivious or deliberately ignorant to what Jasne had first said.

"Well, you be careful out there." Jasne mumbled out.

"Sir!"

Ganz bowed, which was Nina and Jack's cue to bow as well. Jack noticed out of the corner of his eye that Ridley didn't bow; she simply looked the other way.

"Master Jack. This is Jasne Colton, Lord Chamberlain of Radiata." Ganz told him.

"It's an honor to meet you, sir." Jack bowed again for good measure.

Jasne sized him up, looking unimpressed. Jack wanted to say he didn't look any better, but he bit down his tongue to fight the urge to say anything. Last thing he wanted was to get berated on his first mission because he couldn't hold back his bark. Jasne looked back at Ganz.

"One thing before you go, Ganz…If anything happens to my Ridley…"

That was enough for Ridley to turn back at Jasne and give him one hell of a piercing glare. Jasne immediately stopped his threat to Ganz. This was enough to tell Jack he was the father of Ridley. Why their last names were not the same, however, was something he would have to look up later.

"Uh, well…Never mind. She is a knight now, I suppose." He said, dismayed and defeated. "I can't protect her forever. But you watch her, Ganz."

The man walked away and Ganz, Nina, and Jack all had to bow in the wake of his leave.

"Can we go?"

Ridley spoke up for the first time, walking on ahead. The three quickly followed after her, making their way through the empty morning streets of Radiata. After passing under a bridge, Jack spotted someone in the distance. It was a boy in a white robe.

"Someone's up ahead, Captain. Is he waiting for us?" Jack asked.

"You are correct, Jack. That must be young Master Clive from the Olacion Order." Ganz answered.

"Olacion Order? Is that like some sort of organization or guild?"

"Yes indeed." Ganz nodded his head, turning around to face them. "The Olacion Order is the priest guild; one out of four others. Guilds are organizations that provide a variety of services for the regular townspeople. There's a warrior guild, mage guild, and a thief guild."

"Radiata Knights hire guild members when they need an extra asset for a mission." Nina told Jack.

"Open government and knights that work with the people. Lord Larks has some very progressive ideas." Ganz continued. "At the same time, it allows him to keep an eye on the guilds and maintain the balance of power. If one guild grew more powerful than the others, there would be all sorts of trouble."

"Basically, guilds are mercenaries for hire." Jack nodded his head.

They resumed walking towards 'Clive', but he met them halfway in front of a restaurant called the 'Begin Eatery'. Now that Jack got a good look at his face, he could see Clive didn't exactly look like a person with a lot of experience. Could he be a rookie as well?

"Howdy." Clive greeted them casually with a smile.

"Master Clive?" Ganz asked, hoping for confirmation that he was the one he hired.

"That's me."

"We are delighted to meet you." Ganz bowed his head.

"I just joined Olacion..."

That proved Jack's assumption to be correct. He was kind of hoping Ganz hired someone with more experience.

"I'm real new, you know. I can't do anything yet-Nice to meet you!"

Jack's hand met his own face. He didn't know whether to be impressed with Clive's honesty or distraught over the fact that he had no abilities at all. Nina giggled at Jack while Ganz's expression changed into both disbelief and confusion.

"You…can't do anything?" Ganz asked.

"I can eat and sleep, that's all." Clive shook his head.

"Can you at least perform some basic healing since you're a priest and all?" Jack asked, removing his hand from his face.

"Uh, actually, yes, I think I can do that." Clive said.

"Good enough for me." Jack shook his head. _Well…at least he isn't completely useless._

They made their way outside of town, but stopped on the bridge. Ganz wanted to go over the details of the mission one more time, but for Clive.

"Our destination is Earth Valley. To reach the dwarf lands, we must travel south. The journey there should present no difficulties, but the return journey is an entirely different story. Bandits, goblins, and orcs may ambush us for our cargo." Ganz explained.

"We might have to fight orcs?" Ridley asked, alarmed at this.

"Is that even possible? I thought orcs lived in the regions further away." Jack said

"It's unlikely, but not impossible." Ganz answered them both.

"From what I've read about them, orcs are the most volatile creatures around." Nina spoke. "Their raw strength can take down a smilodon with one blow."

"I sure hope we don't run into one of them." Clive said, nervous about all the talking of orcs. "This is my first job, so I'm not really looking forward to that kind of danger…"

"I think we're all getting a bit ahead of ourselves. Captain Ganz said it was possible, but not definite." Jack assured him.

"We should get going, Captain." Ridley said, changing the subject. "There's a lot of distance to cover before we reach Earth Valley."

"Right then, let's move out everyone!"

Everyone resumed walking, but Jack stopped and turned around.

_Huh…Why does it feel like someone's watching us? _He wondered, staring at the opened gate. …_It must be my imagination._

Jack turned around and ran to catch up with his brigade.

* * *

><p>"Help me! Please!"<p>

The group stood still when a man ran towards them. He had a hat which strangely resembled a really fat sock. He slid to a stop in front of them, keeled over and gasping for breath. Jack immediately pulled out his sword.

"What's wrong?" Ganz asked.

"Bandits…ha…in…ha…Nuevo Village!" He managed to utter out through his pants. "Guards-"

Jack's eyes widened. Suddenly, he pushed through his teammates and shoved the man into the pavement. An arrow shot into his left shoulder.

"Son of a bitch!" Jack cursed as he hit the floor.

"Master Jack!" Ganz was the first to cry out, drawing his weapon.

Everyone looked straight ahead as a group of four bandits charged at them, shouting at the top of their lungs. The man scrambled up to his feet to run away as the brigade pulled out their weapons.

"Rose Cochon-Engage! Engage!" Ganz cried out, charging headfirst into battle. Ridley, Nina, and Clive followed behind him.

Jack, however, remained where he was, grunting in pain as he pulled the arrow out of his shoulder. It managed to hit him in the weak part of his uniform. His homemade tunic would have protected him better than this! As he was prying the arrow out, he looked up at the battle. His brigade were fighting the bandits, but one managed to knock Clive out with a swift kick to his side, sending him into the grass off the paved road. That was when he took notice of Jack and started charging at him. Jack grabbed his sword and blocked the bandit's attack. Jack cried out in pain as the arrow was still lodged in him. The two blades were locked against each other and due to Jack's injury, he was struggling. He was not going to die on his first mission from a lowly bandit! No way!

"Get off him!"

Blood spilled out from behind the bandit, whose eyes went blank. He slumped forward and Jack crawled back to avoid the body landing on him. He looked up to see his savior.

_Ridley!?_

The blond knelt down and grabbed the arrow. She looked at him.

"Get ready."

He nodded and she pulled it off him with one powerful yank. Jack grunted loudly, but had no time to complain about the injury. Ridley helped him up to his feet and handed him his sword.

"Clive! Heal him up! I'm catching up with the Captain and Nina!" She shouted at the priest who was getting back up on his feet.

"Uh, roger that!" He called out, making his way back to Jack as Ridley ran on ahead. "Hold still for a minute."

Clive closed his eyes and placed his hand where the wound was. A soft green glow emanated from his hand. Once he stepped back, Jack tested his arm. There was still some pain, but at least it was tolerable for now.

"Let's catch up, Clive."

The priest nodded his head as the two sprinted down the road where the distant shouts and sword clashing could be heard…

* * *

><p>S'up, guys. I'm back with another chapter! So, I decided to change things up a bit with the first mission. Why? Because REASONS!<p>

…That is all.

Anyways, read, review, and favorite if this story catches your fancy. It would be appreciated. I'd also like to give a big shout-out to** DQRS guy** for being the first reviewer after reviving this story. Thank you all and good night everybody!

I mean…I'll see you all in the next chapter! Peace!


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